Factor social. El análisis social debe profundizar en diversos aspectos que le

Principal E stated,

I conduct walkthroughs on a weekly basis. My lead teachers conduct

walkthroughs 2 to 3 times a week. We spend anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes in each of the classrooms.

Consensus Themes Supported Themes Individual Themes 10 minutes – time in classroom 10 – 15 minutes – time in classroom 5 – 10 minutes – time in classroom

Figure #4 – Research Question #2D – How much time do you spend in each walkthrough?

Central Administrator stated,

Over the last four years, we had several focuses or look-fors when conducting our walkthroughs. We started very small. I think the first look-fors were student engagement and an objective written on the board. We then evolved into differentiated instruction, higher-order thinking skills, and clear expectations. Principal A stated,

The two look-fors that we are focusing on this year are a measurable goal or objective and higher-order thinking skills. We have had several staff

development days this year on these two look-fors. I hope that these focus areas become a habit and we can continue with several other focus areas.

Principal B stated,

We progressed over the years. We initially gave positive feedback using a 3x5 note card. We then looked at patterns at we saw that was occurring in the school. This year we are looking for questioning techniques and the use of technology. We are looking for higher-order questioning techniques such as synthesis,

evaluation, and analysis. Those are the two focus areas that we have had this year and they have been driving our staff development days.

There are two look-fors on our walkthrough form. The first look-for in our walkthrough tool is a clearly stated and measurable objective(s). You simply check off yes or no and write the objective. The second look-for in our

walkthrough tool is to observe if all students actively engaged, passively engaged, or disengaged. We document what the teacher was doing and what the students were doing.

Principal D stated,

One of our focuses this year comes from the Lorraine Monroe Leadership Institute on blackboard configuration. By conducting walkthroughs last year, I noticed that we as a school were everywhere on goals on the chalkboard. The look-fors this year are blackboard configuration, higher order thinking skills, and accountable talk that comes from Hunter. Examples of the blackboard

configuration are that the objective is clearly communicated and measurable. There are checkpoints and timelines to guide the students throughout the lesson. Finally, the classroom activities engage all students in the learning. This focus has been a struggle this year. The look-for, higher order thinking skills, there must be questioning techniques that reach beyond simply recall. We are looking for teachers to incorporate synthesis, evaluation, and analysis questioning. Principal E stated,

The look-fors that we defined as a school this year were high and clear

expectations, active use of knowledge, and high order thinking skills. Under the high and clear expectations, we are looking for an objective that is clearly communicated and visually displayed. We are looking for rubrics that help students understand expectations. There is evidence of classroom routines and checkpoints and timelines that help students complete their work. Those are some examples of high and clear expectations. Under active use of knowledge, we are looking for reading strategies that are being used to increase content retention. Graphic organizers are used for note making and for understanding the textbook. Technology is used as a learning tool. Those are some examples of active use of knowledge. Some examples of higher order thing skills are questioning

techniques that include a focus on synthesis, evaluation, and analysis.

Consensus Themes Supported Themes Individual Themes Student engagement The use of technology

Written objective or measurable goal

Blackboard configuration Higher-order thinking skills Active use of knowledge Clear expectations Differentiated instruction

Central Administrator stated,

The walkthrough form is placed in the teachers mailboxes after every

walkthrough conducted by an administrator, a lead teacher, or a group of teachers. During department meetings, lead teachers would go over what was observed as a department. We never talked about an individual walkthrough. Our weekly newsletter was used to explain what we collectively as school and I always put one thing or strategy to push. We always debriefed with the teachers that we visited. Sometimes we would take our new teachers on walkthroughs and then have them debrief on what they saw. That was very effective with the new teachers. It really set the tone for what we as a school expect from our teachers. If we visited all the science classrooms in one day, then all the science teachers would stay after school and we would debrief. This is what we are seeing in the science classrooms today.

Principal A stated,

When we have groups of teachers conducting walkthroughs throughout a period, then those teachers will come back into my conference room and debrief on what they saw. The group of teachers will give written feedback to the teachers that they visited. Sometimes the teachers will email each other to discuss a certain student, great job, or even a helpful hint.

Principal B stated,

The teachers that we visit receive the look-for form and are asked to participate in a round table discussion usually facilitated by administrator or a lead teacher. We also publish the results in weekly newsletter that is sent to all the teachers. We would state that we visited x amount of classrooms, x amount of students, and this is what we saw.

Principal C stated,

At this point, we are only using the look-for form with the two look-fors. The teachers receive this form after every visit.

Principal D stated,

A copy of the walkthrough form is a two-ply and a copy goes into the teachers’ mailboxes. We debrief with the teachers and talk to them about the strengths and weaknesses that we observed as a group. We never single out one teacher in those debriefing sessions. Teachers also have an opportunity to explain their thoughts of the lesson went while the walkthrough occurred and how the lesson went after the walkthrough. Teachers email each other great job notes and even talk about a strategies.

Principal E stated,

The minimal debriefing technique that we use is getting the look-for sheet back to the teacher that we visited. Usually we have round table discussions and talk about corrections that need to take place. The lead teachers and I meet every week and they also keep me updated on what they are seeing. The lead teachers

conduct walkthroughs every week. I also include an instructional audit in our weekly newsletters, talking about the strengths and weaknesses that were observed during the walkthroughs that week.

Consensus Themes Supported Themes Individual Themes Look-for sheet returned to

the teacher that was visited

Results of the walkthroughs posted on weekly newsletter Debriefing – Round table

discussion

Email – Good job notes

New teachers’

walkthroughs and debriefings

Debriefing by lead teachers on what was observed in their visits

Figure #6 – Research Question #2F – What kind of feedback do you give back to the teachers?

3. Research Question #3

What elements and procedures are identified by the high school principals in

Newport News School District’s walkthrough tool that do not appear in the Western Pennsylvania Principals Academy’s walkthrough tool?

The following are elements and procedures that the high school principals that were interviewed identified that did not appear in the Western Pennsylvania Principals Academy’s walkthrough tool:

THEME 1: Lead teachers conducting walkthroughs was mentioned by all five